Egypt’s national team has emerged from a demanding run of international friendlies with renewed confidence and valuable experience, according to assistant coach Ibrahim Hassan, who outlined the key benefits gained from recent matches against Spain and Saudi Arabia.
The Pharaohs held Spain to a goalless draw in Barcelona, producing a disciplined performance at the RCDE Stadium, home of RCD Espanyol. The result followed another challenging fixture against Saudi Arabia, with both matches played within a four-day period.
Speaking after the Spain encounter, Hassan praised the players for their resilience and composure against high-level opposition, particularly given the demanding schedule and circumstances surrounding the fixtures.
Valuable Results Against Strong Opposition
Reflecting on the two matches, Hassan emphasised their significance in terms of global rankings and competitive readiness. He said: “We played two very difficult matches in 4 days against two strong teams, and two matches that count towards the world ranking, and they would have made a difference in our international ranking, either positively or negatively, but thank God in the end we achieved great results, and we maintained our ranking against the world’s number one team as well as the strong Saudi team.”
The matches provided Egypt with an opportunity to measure themselves against elite opposition, with Spain widely regarded as one of the top teams in international football. The goalless draw in particular was seen as a statement of defensive organisation and tactical discipline.
Building Confidence Ahead of the World Stage
Hassan also highlighted the psychological impact of competing against top-tier teams, noting that such experiences are vital in preparing players for major tournaments.
He said: “Among the gains is also that the players have taken their first steps, competing with the world’s best in the World Cup in a few weeks, removing the fear from the players’ souls before entering this global arena, playing in front of the world’s greatest players again, and proving the potential and ability of the Egyptian player.”
The assistant coach suggested that facing high-pressure situations—such as playing in a packed stadium and dealing with hostile crowd reactions—would help strengthen the squad’s mental resilience.
Overcoming Challenges On and Off the Pitch
Hassan pointed to the logistical and physical challenges faced by the team, including long-distance travel and limited recovery time between matches. Despite these factors, he expressed satisfaction with both the results and overall performances.
He said: “Thank God, the result and performance are satisfactory for us. I thank the players for their manly performance during the match. I thank the technical, medical and administrative staff, because what was achieved in four days, which is the difference between the two friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Spain, amidst long-distance travel, deserves thanks and praise from everyone working in the national team.”
He added that the team maintained focus throughout both encounters, even under difficult conditions, including a period of numerical disadvantage during the Spain match.
Eyes on the World Cup and Future Fixtures
Looking ahead, Hassan indicated that Egypt’s preparations are ongoing, with further high-profile matches potentially on the horizon. He said: “Delivering this performance and this result in light of the numerical shortage is a credit to the players and the technical staff, and such experiences will benefit everyone before the anticipated participation in the World Cup.”
He also confirmed that Egypt is set to face Brazil in a future fixture, with discussions underway—alongside Egyptian FA president Hani Abu Rida—to arrange an additional friendly match, possibly at the New Administrative Capital Stadium.
As Egypt continues to fine-tune its preparations, the recent results against Spain and Saudi Arabia appear to have provided both momentum and belief within the squad ahead of the global tournament.
